The thing I've noticed more than anything in round one has been the pathetic influx of head ducking in every single game. And, even more pathetically, the umpires have been paying free kicks for them like a kid in a candy store.

I've noticed an instance of it in every single game thus far (not even just the usual flogs at North), but even in our game against Crossy, when an idiot from the Suns just rammed his head into Crossy and was paid a free kick for no explicable reason.

What the hell happened to the AFL cracking down on this, not only for the integrity of the game, but for the sake of protecting players from their own stupidity? It won't take long for this kind of cheap playing for frees results in a catastrophic head injury. And the more umps pay them, the more players will duck their heads into other players.

Thoughts?

I've seen a few this round too, think it will come up in the umps meetings and prob see none paid next round.

I've never had a free kick in a candy store.

Potentially a poor analogy but it's the first thing that popped into my head on Easter Sunday.

Just having had roast duck for dinner and a lot of good red, I understood a whole different meaning into the thread title.

really noticed it today in the Crows v North game. 2 players in particular. just awful to watch

Happened a few minutes ago in the Port/Freo match. Polec (I think) ducking his head straight into a Freo player attempting a tackle, all only metres from the Freo goalsquare.

Lo and behold, paid a free kick by the ump. Really lose respect for great players when they pull this kind of cheap crap.

really noticed it today in the Crows v North game. 2 players in particular. just awful to watch

Was one of them Lindsay Thomas by any chance?

"Play on"

"Holding the ball"

Was one of them Lindsay Thomas by any chance?

I didn't see much of the game, but that was the first name I thought too, then Harvey.

Exactly. Saw Higgins blatantly duck into a tackle against Adelaide and got the free and I thought to myself, weren't they meant to be cracking down on this and not paying these anymore?

Happened a few minutes ago in the Port/Freo match. Polec (I think) ducking his head straight into a Freo player attempting a tackle, all only metres from the Freo goalsquare.

Lo and behold, paid a free kick by the ump. Really lose respect for great players when they pull this kind of cheap crap.

I think the great players have always exploited the rules to the limit. If umpires are silly enough to pay this tripe your best players will duck their head in heavy traffic. I thought the AFL and rules committee had woken up to this rubbish.

Cross also got done for diving on the ball late in the last quarter and supposedly endangering a Suns player's legs. The problem for me was Cross arrived first onto the ball and the Suns player second and why ignore the earlier 90 minutes of footy where this probably happened a dozen times but no frees called?

And I should add, I don't necessarily think all players who are doing it are trying to win frees, some are just trying to evade tackles. Either way, it shouldn't be paid.

I've never had a free kick in a candy store.

I got one when I asked for free candy. The owner wasn't impressed, so he kicked me.

The thing I've noticed more than anything in round one has been the pathetic influx of head ducking in every single game. And, even more pathetically, the umpires have been paying free kicks for them like a kid in a candy store.

I've noticed an instance of it in every single game thus far (not even just the usual flogs at North), but even in our game against Crossy, when an idiot from the Suns just rammed his head into Crossy and was paid a free kick for no explicable reason.

What the hell happened to the AFL cracking down on this, not only for the integrity of the game, but for the sake of protecting players from their own stupidity? It won't take long for this kind of cheap playing for frees results in a catastrophic head injury. And the more umps pay them, the more players will duck their heads into other players.

Thoughts?

Happy that you brought this up 'Lamashtu'.

The AFL have talked about stamping this out and funnily enough there was an incident in the Carlton game the other night where the experts got it a...up. Talking about the player that got serious neck damage in the VFL a year or two back. The way they were talking the player ducking was in the right. I couldn't believe it.

I'm not talking a Selwood drop in the tackle move, I know it's annoying but if you can't tackle properly then it's your own fault if this one catches you out. I'm talking of where a player barges head first into an opponent like the Cross one.

Daniel Harford is really big on this and I'm with him. If a player ducks and rams into the on coming player as the one you mentioned against Cross it's an automatic free kick to Cross.

Personally I think it needs to go even further and the player should get weeks. I know this seems harsh but hear me out. If this is not stamped out, and now a player will end up in a wheel chair, it's only a matter of time.

What's a few weeks in the sin bin to a lifetime in a wheel chair.

I think the great players have always exploited the rules to the limit. If umpires are silly enough to pay this tripe your best players will duck their head in heavy traffic. I thought the AFL and rules committee had woken up to this rubbish.

Cross also got done for diving on the ball late in the last quarter and supposedly endangering a Suns player's legs. The problem for me was Cross arrived first onto the ball and the Suns player second and why ignore the earlier 90 minutes of footy where this probably happened a dozen times but no frees called?

Sorry 'Earl', the call was right. It was a free against Cross.

Cross did dive at the ball and these days you don't need to make hard contact with the opposition player.

By the way he should have been pinged for the underhand kinda handball he gave off when he took possession. It was quite clever and funny, I thought at first that's what the free was for.

Happy that you brought this up 'Lamashtu'.

The AFL have talked about stamping this out and funnily enough there was an incident in the Carlton game the other night where the experts got it a...up. Talking about the player that got serious neck damage in the VFL a year or two back. The way they were talking the player ducking was in the right. I couldn't believe it.

I'm not talking a Selwood drop in the tackle move, I know it's annoying but if you can't tackle properly then it's your own fault if this one catches you out. I'm talking of where a player barges head first into an opponent like the Cross one.

Daniel Harford is really big on this and I'm with him. If a player ducks and rams into the on coming player as the one you mentioned against Cross it's an automatic free kick to Cross.

Personally I think it needs to go even further and the player should get weeks. I know this seems harsh but hear me out. If this is not stamped out, and now a player will end up in a wheel chair, it's only a matter of time.

What's a few weeks in the sin bin to a lifetime in a wheel chair.

Rjay I agree with most of your comments but take issue with Selwood' s tactics. Isn't it the same as someone ducking their head into an opponent? Yes it might be less dangerous to Selwood but the umpires are paying him a free because it is potentially as dangerous. I am sick of seeing the Selwoods drop their legs as soon as they sense contact and more importantly raising their arms as soon as they are grabbed. The Hawks Peoppollo does it every time he is tackled, his arms go up to make the tackler's arms slip up to the shoulder, no doubt plenty of oil on his arms as well. And yet another cheap free payed inside 50. I believe if a tackle is legal when first applied it should be deemed legal even if it slips up or down because the tackled player drops his legs, raises his arms or keeps running on in the tackle.

Noticed today that Swallow (the league's second most uninspiring captain, behind M. Murphy) has become an expert at dropping the legs as well. Gets paid free kicks for it, too, but at the expense of holding up play and actually working to his teammates disadvantage; Adelaide constantly got all their players behind the ball and flooded Norf's I50.

Pretty pathetic, unintelligent stuff. Wouldn't dream of N. Jones ever resorting to such cheap tactics.

Was one of them Lindsay Thomas by any chance?

Yep and the other one is Thomson. Drops his head at any opportunity. Got sorted out by Walker towards the end of the game which was good to see. I would love to [censored] that bunch this year.

Thomas never learns. The umps won't pay him a thing this year.

Boy who cried wolf.

I really don't care if a player exploits the rules and drops in a tackle to draw a free kick but I do have issue with them using it as a battering ram. It's plain dangerous and if they don't understand it then some thought should be given to the poor player on the end of it when someone becomes wheel chair bound for life, he will never get over that.

The thing I've noticed more than anything in round one has been the pathetic influx of head ducking in every single game. And, even more pathetically, the umpires have been paying free kicks for them like a kid in a candy store.

I've noticed an instance of it in every single game thus far (not even just the usual flogs at North), but even in our game against Crossy, when an idiot from the Suns just rammed his head into Crossy and was paid a free kick for no explicable reason.

What the hell happened to the AFL cracking down on this, not only for the integrity of the game, but for the sake of protecting players from their own stupidity? It won't take long for this kind of cheap playing for frees results in a catastrophic head injury. And the more umps pay them, the more players will duck their heads into other players.

Thoughts?

Generally done by weak insipid cowards.

But in todays footy{selwood}it has become accepted.

Wait until it goes out of vogue and then throw mud at the current batch of so called experts.

Sorry 'Earl', the call was right. It was a free against Cross.

Cross did dive at the ball and these days you don't need to make hard contact with the opposition player.

By the way he should have been pinged for the underhand kinda handball he gave off when he took possession. It was quite clever and funny, I thought at first that's what the free was for.

Different event. That free kick was for contact below the knees. The one they're talking about was when a GC player basically headbutted Crossy in the chest.